Apparatus for stoning cherries



April vp 1924. 1,491,968

E. PLUMETTAZ APPARATUS FOR STONING CHERRIES Filed Sept. 4, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 April 29 1924.

1,491,968 E. PLUMETTAZ Y APPARATUS FOR STONING CHERRIES 3 .Filed Sept.4. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet z I L II ,II\I II h H EMILE IPLUMETTAZ, F VEVEY,SWITZLAIND.

APPARATUS FOR STO'NING CHERRIES.

.dpplication filed September t, 1923. Serial No. 660,890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILE PLUMETTAZ, a citizen of the SwissConfederation, residing at Vevey, Switzerland, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for Stoning Cherries (for which Ihave made application for patent in Switzerland January 20 1923), ofwhich the following is a specification.

It is generally known that the stoning of cherries by hand or with moreor less perfeet instruments is very troublesome. Stoning by hand takesmuch time and is rather diflicult and if an apparatus is used thespherical fruits are damaged so that they often are not adapted to beused for certain purposes. This invention relates to an apparatus forstoning cherries which avoids the abovementioned inconveniences. Thisapparatus is characterized by a frame with a hopper and a guide for apiercer located in the distributing tube forming an extension of thehopper. If said piercer is advanced the cherry in the distributing tubeis pierced and the stone expelled.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I shall proceedto describe the same with reference to the form of construction of theapparatus shown by way of example on the accompanying drawing, in whichFig. 1 is an end view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same the hopper being removed.

Fig. 3 shows the apparatus seen from the right hand side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line AA of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of part of Fig. d on a larger scale showing thepiercer in op- I eration.

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of constructional details.

The frame 1 forms at its lower end a fork-shaped clamping clip 2 with abracket 3 in which a clamping screw 1 is arranged. The table plate shownin Fig. 1 in mixed lines is inserted between the clip 2 and the clampingscrew 4:. The vertical part of frame 1 has a horizontal hub 5 in which aslide 6 isguided. The slide 6 is hollowin its rear part so that it formsa chamber 7. In this chamber and in the boring forwardly extending fromthe same the pin or piercer 8 is located. A spiral spring 9 encirclingsaid piercer and a disk 10 on the piercer serving as abutment for therear end of said spring are located in the front part of the chamber 7.The end of the slide 6 is concave so that a semi-spherical cavity 11 isproduced.

The angular distributing tube 12 is of square cross section in order toreduce the resistances from friction opposed to the cherries which passthrough the distributing tube. The vertical arm of the distributing tube12 is fixed in the support 13 which forms part of frame 1 by means ofthe clamping plate 1 1 mounted on screw 15. A hopper 16 is placed uponthe upper end of the vertical arm of the distributing tube 12. v

The inner surface 17 of the end of-the, horizontal arm of tube 12 iscup-shaped and has a central boring 18. At the outer end of thehorizontal arm of tube 12 a chute 19 is arranged designed to receive theexpelled stones of the cherries. A blade spring 20 is fixed by means ofa screw 21 on the lower surface of the slide 6 so that it extendsforwardly over the cavity 11. At the end of the distributing tube a stop23 is pivoted on the pivot pin 22. A washer 24 is fixed on the righthand side end of the slide 6 by means of screws 25 and designed to limitthe movement of the piercer 8 as the collar or disk 10 on this piercercomes in contact with said washer. The hub 5 is closed at its outer endby a movable plate 26 (Fig. 6) so that the slide 6 and the piercer8 canbe removed. The piercer carries at its outer end a button 27 and it hasteeth 28 at its. inner end (Fig. 7).

The cherries are fed from the hopper through the distributing tube 12and the lowermost cherry rests upon the blade spring 20 and is preventedby-the stop 23 from dropping out through the opening 29. When a pressureis being exerted upon the button 27 the slide is pushed forward and thelowermost cherry is gripped by the cavity 11 and pushed into the concaveinner surface 17 of the end of the distributing tube as shown in Fig. 5.The cherry is thus enclosed in a spherical cavity so that it cannotdisplace itself. in exerting another pressure upon the button 27 thespiral spring 9 is compressed and the piercer pushed forward so that itpierces the cherry and pushes the stone through the orifice 18 into thechute 19 by which it is conducted into a receptacle 30 (Fig. 1). Afterthis operation is finished the button is released so that the ierce! ispulled back into the slide 6 through the action of spring 9. The stop 23prevents the cherry from moving back with the slide 6 and it drops outthrough the opening 29 into a receptacle 31 (Fig. 1) as soon as theslide has cleared this opening. The cherries are thus not deformed. Theslide Ghaving returned to its 7 initial position the cherries descendinto the ing can begin again.

vertical arm of tube 12 so that another cherry drops upon spring 20 andthe stonlVith an apparatus of the type described about 80 cherries canbe stoned. in a'minute.

There could evidently be constructed a machine based upon the sameprinciple as the apparatus described and shown, said machine comprising7 any desired number of piercers and being power-driven, such a machinebeing very useful for hotels and factories. V

In this case a convenient lever and a cam shaft would have to beprovided for controlling the reciprocating movement of the slide inwhich piercers are located.

I claim 1. Apparatus for stoning cherries comprising in combination aframe, a hopper in said frame, a distributing tube below said hopper, ahorizontal slide below said distributing tube, a piercer movably locatedin said slide and means for operating said slide and piercer so that thepiercer pierces the cherry and pushes the stone out of the same. i

r 2. Apparatus for stoning cherries comprising in combination a frame, ahorizontal hub-like extension of said frame, a hopper in said frame, adistributing tube below said hopper, 'a horizontal slide guided in saidhub-like extension, a pierce'r movably located in said slide, a spiralspring encircling said piercer and holding the same in the inoperativeposition, and means for operating said slide and piercer so that thepiercer pierces the cherry and pushes the stone out of the same.

V 3. Apparatus for stoning cherries comprising in combination a frame, ahopper in said frame, a distributing tube below said hopper,avhorizontal slide below said distributing, tube, a piercer movablylocated in said slide, a button on the outer end of said piercer andteeth at the inner end of said slide, a spiral spring encircling saidpiercer and holding the same in the inoperative position, and means foroperating said slide and piercer so that the piercer pierces the cherryand'pushes the stone out of the same.

5. Apparatus for stoning cherries comprisingein combination a frame, ahopper in said frame, a distributing tube of angular shape thehorizontal arm of which tube has a cup-shaped inner surface, a chute forthe cherry stones communicating With said cupshaped inner surface, astop pivotally mounted in said distributing tube, a horizontal slidebelow said distributing tube, a piercer movably located in said slideand means for operating said slide and piercer so thatthe piercerpierces the cherry and pushes the stone out of the same.

6. Apparatus for stoning cherries com prising in combination a frame, ahopper in said frame, a distributing tube of angular shape thehorizontal arm of whichtube has a cuprshaped inner surface, a chute forthe cherry stones communicating with said cupshaped inner surface, astop J pivotally mounted in said distributing tube, a horizontal slidebelow said distributing tube having a semi-spherical cavity at its innerend corresponding with said cup-shaped inner surface of the distributingtube, a piercer movably located in said slide and means for operatingsaid slide and piercer so that the piercer pierces the cherry and pushesthe stone out of the same.

In testimony whereof I affin my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMILE PLUMETTAZ. Witnesses M. CHAPMAN, M. RAn'r.

